Scott Greenhalgh DDS - Cosmetic Dentistry

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Why you need a GREAT Dental Examination


I see new patients almost everyday. I see people that are new to Denver, haven't been to the dentist for years, or have had a major disappointment with their old Denver dentist. I would say that 80% of these people hope to have one of those "check-up" examinations that last about 5 minutes like when you have your teeth cleaned. What they seem to want is to run in and run out, and largely get the blessing on their teeth, you know, "I don't have any cavities, right Doc?"

When we see new patients, our examination takes at least an hour. We commonly see people who have had some sort of an issue that still isn't resolved, or some problem that no one else could fix (see my other dental blog about clues, Cosmetic Dentistry and Sherlock Holmes).

Here's part of what is important on that first visit (for more detail see "what to expect on your first visit"). One, the history of what has happened to your teeth (and why it happened) is critical. Why you went or didn't go to the dentist before, along with how you feel about going to the dentist now. These impressions and opinions affect how likely you will be to really take care of your teeth well for the future.

Here's another critical part: your X-rays. One of my pet peeves is when you go for a medical X-ray. No one gives you any information. If you are lucky, maybe they'll let you look at the image, but it's like the whole X-ray department is run by the CIA. No one will tell you anything about what it means or what's on the darn X-ray.

I sit down with our new patients and spend 10 minutes just showing you your X-rays. I know that's sort of controversial stuff. Actually SHOW you what's there, TALK about what it means, and discuss anything important in that whole set (another aside, YES, you really do need those periodic X-rays-they show changes and the things that start as small problems before they start to hurt).

After that we start checking the outside of your face and mouth. Yeah, the OUTSIDE. Things like the TMJ, your facial muscles, and glands. These all are windows to your overall health and how well your jaw joint works (or sticks) and how prone you are to clench or grind your teeth. And how balanced your bite is.

After that THEN we start to look at teeth. It usually takes FORTY minutes before we even start looking at teeth. That's how important all of these other things are. FORTY minutes.

So, this is really just the beginning of a great examination. The point is that we study YOU, we talk about YOU and then tailor the recommendations to YOU. So whether you are looking for a Denver cosmetic dentist or a family dentist in Denver, it all starts with a great exam. Contact us today to see the difference for yourself.

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posted by Dr. Scott at 9:39 AM

Monday, November 23, 2009

Missing Teeth, Dental Implants, and options

As a cosmetic dentist in Denver, I want to give you a few of my thoughts on why it is important to replace a missing molar, and what a few of the options are. (Click to find out more about Scott Greenhalgh, DDS).

I see people almost everyday that have had a situation where they have lost a tooth. Sometimes the best answer to a major dental problem is actually to remove a tooth. It shouldn't be the best answer too often, but realistically, sometimes it is. While in as fast as 24 hours, the problem: toothache, swollen jaw or whatever, begins to clear up and feel pretty good again, it can be misleading that that's the end of the story.

Unfortunately, the problem doesn't really end there. When a tooth is missing it starts a cascade of other dental problems. One problem is that the neighboring teeth can begin to shift. If they shift too much you can develop TMJ or jaw problems. In addition, the force that used to be on the problem tooth, is not spread onto fewer teeth. This can produce sensitivity and gum recession. It can even begin to loosen remaining teeth.

I see people everyday and ask them, "Has anyone ever told you about why it is important to replace a missing tooth?" Most disappointingly say, "No- no one ever has".

A missing tooth can be replaced with a dental implant (watch our short dental implant video). Implants have been successfully used for about 50 years now. The success rates are very high, usually in the neighborhood of 95%, so I always emphasize to patients that dental implants are not new or not experimental.

I have found that most of the time, a dental implant is the right solution, but not always.

You should be aware that there are other options including placing a "bridge", which is another type of permanent solution (meaning that you never have to take it out). Some people have the mistaken impression that a bridge is what their Uncle Joe had, that he would always pop out after meals, or that had those big silver hooks. That device is really a "partial denture" or "partial".

Partials are another way to replace missing teeth. It is better than not replacing them at all, but has limitations. Some of the limitations are that it can have silver hooks that show, or that you have to take it out frequently to clean under it.

After more than 20 years of dentistry in Denver, I have found that after a short conversation and a thorough examination, the right solution for YOU can be found. All that matters in the end is that YOU get the results, solution, approach and budget that fits for YOU.

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posted by Dr. Scott at 2:36 PM

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Sleep Apnea care in Denver

Yesterday I had a chance to speak with one of my patients about their sleep apnea concerns. From basic irritations like the snoring it produces. Sometimes I get the request from their spouse "Can't you do anything about their snoring?!?.

There are many other detrimental affects from sleep apnea including things like: waking suddenly in the middle of the night unable to catch your breath, poor sleep cycles, poor flow of oxygen to the brain while sleeping, and others.

One of my biggest concerns about treating sleep apnea is to find the right device that will help reposition the jaw, without producing other jaw problems as a side effect. Not everyone has a TMJ healthy enough to wear all of the devices currently available.

In fact yesterday during my examination of this patient, I found that they also had a strong tendency to clench their teeth, and jaw muscles that are overworked and fatigue easily.

After gathering a good history about what the patient has noticed, getting information from his MD about what level of sleep apnea he has from a sleep study, and my examination, we were able to create a plan that is likely to give the results he is after.

Like a lot of healthcare, I believe strongly that it has to be individualized and thoughtful. So even though we emphasis cosmetic dentistry in Denver, I feel strongly that great care addresses any and ALL health concerns. They are far more related and intertwined that we give credit to.

In about two weeks we'll have his device and they'll be off to better sleeping and less clenching at night. If this patient is like the others I've treated, they will feel more rested and more alert through their daily routine.

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posted by Dr. Scott at 9:49 AM

3190 South Wadsworth Blvd., Suite 300 | Lakewood, CO 80227

Phone. 800-757-6680 | Fax. 303-479-7599 | Contact Us

Office Hours:
Monday: closed Tuesday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Wednesday: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. Thursday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Friday: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.